AnnuAl RepoRT - Sexual Assault Centre London

SACL Is Changing Lives!
Annual
ReporT
2010 • 11
www.sacl.ca
Message from Board Chair and Executive Director
Three years ago, the Board set out an ambitious strategic plan whose goal was to strengthen
SACL’s organizational capacity laying the foundation for deeper and more transformative impact.
As we look back on our work, we recognize this has been a year of celebration, of hunkering
down and re-imagining our work.
We started the year by celebrating our 25th anniversary as a charitable organization and 35th
anniversary as a crisis line. To mark this milestone year, we asked artist Margaret Rossiter to
create pieces of commemorative jewellery. They were a hit throughout the year. We continued
our celebrations during Sexual Assault Awareness Month laughing with comedian Elvira Kurt and
dancing with The Comos.
And then it was time to get to the bones of the work. With a vacancy in the Volunteer Program,
we took the opportunity to combine the Volunteer and Financial Coordinator roles into an
Operations Manager position. This shift increased the organization’s ability to focus on the
development of new policies and enhancement of procedures that would make the team more
efficient. We also focused our energies into the development of evaluation tools and processes
that would help us better communicate our impact to our funders and community. The journey
has just begun. We strengthened the administrative infrastructure of the Volunteer Program: we
reviewed and revised our Volunteer Training Manual; made changes to our training to make better
use of volunteers’ time; and we implemented new policies and procedures for the Volunteer
Program. We worked on the development of a new group, one that would help women better
manage the symptoms of abuse-related trauma. The pilot was launched in April of this year
and has received much positive feedback from the participants. We also solidified our Public
Education Program. We focused our attention on healthy relationships, what consent really
means, and how youth can be change makers in their community. We launched, in partnership
with Changing Ways and the UWO Student Council a sexual violence education and awareness
campaign on campus moving us closer to one of our long term outcomes of mobilizing our
community around the issue of sexual violence.
We also took the time to reflect and ask ourselves, with our current resource engine and our
raison d`être, what is the greatest impact we can have in the community? Through dialogue with
staff, volunteers, and community partners, we conceptualized a new service delivery model, that
when fully implemented, will provide survivors with more pathways to healing, resilience and
mobilization.
Thanks to the release of the Ontario government’s Sexual Violence Action Plan – Changing
Attitudes, Changing Lives – the Ministry of the Attorney General has committed to increased
funding for sexual assault centres. With this renewed commitment from government, a
strengthened approach to fundraising, and a new service delivery model, Sexual Assault Centre
London is positioned better than ever to amplify its impact and create “Our World Without
Sexual Violence”.
Laura LewisLouise Pitre
Chair, Board of Directors
Executive Director
MILESTONE YEAR FOR SACL
While women around the world were commemorating the
100th anniversary of the declaration of International Women’s
Day, some women in London were preparing to honour another
significant milestone. In 2010, SACL celebrated its 25th anniversary
as a charitable organization and the 35th anniversary of its crisis line.
It has been 35 years of breaking the silence, celebrating women’s
resiliency, and inspiring hope.
To mark these important milestones, SACL commissioned London artist and former group
facilitator, Margaret Rossiter, to design commemorative anniversary jewellery which was
unveiled during the Anniversary Tea. The handmade silver jewellery was a great success.
To close the anniversary celebrations and mark Sexual Assault Awareness Month, we
organized a special fundraising event. Under the capable leadership of our volunteer
Fundraising Chair and Board Member, Stephanie Field and our volunteer Event Planner,
Linda Armstrong, we had a very successful event. Award-winning comedian Elvira Kurt
started off the evening with laughter, followed by the music of The Comos. More than
125 guests rocked the Delta Armouries with funky moves. Thank you to all the volunteers
who helped make this event possible. And a special thanks to our sponsors: City of
London, Middlesex London Health Unit, 103.1 Fresh FM, McFarland Rowlands, Ernst and
Young, Lerners, Marcella F. Grail Chartered Accountants, and Centre For Organizational
Effectiveness. We raised more than $12,000.00!
We are grateful for the generous contributions of the many volunteers, donors, and
sponsors who have helped SACL endure these past 35 years and be a steady presence for
survivors of sexual violence and for our community.
2
OUR SERVICES
For the past 35 years, the Centre’s keystone services
have been supporting women who have experienced sexual
violence, educating the public about why sexual violence
exists and advocating for change.
SUPPORT SERVICES
Providing free, confidential and non-judgemental support services through a feminist lens to
women aged 15 and older who have experienced sexual violence is integral to helping women
heal. Support services at SACL include individual and group counselling, outreach to vulnerable
populations, advocacy, a healthy relationships program for young women, and a 24 hour crisis
and support line.
h Counselling Services
Our counsellors, companions on women’s healing
journey offer support, crisis intervention, stabilization,
information, advocacy and counselling to women 15
years of age and older that have had an experience
of sexual violence. This year a total of 459 clients
were served through individual counselling, group
counselling and outreach.
Type of Sexual Abuse Reported by Clients:
Child Sexual Abuse
69%
Adult Sexual Abuse > 16
60%
Recent Sexual Assault
7%
Sexual Harassment
45%
Stranger Assault
13%
Intimate Partner Sexual Abuse/Assault
29%
Date Sexual Assault
16%
To help strengthen women’s daily coping abilities, a
More than one
57%
new group was developed. The Stabilization Group
features an emphasis on psycho-education about
post traumatic stress, skills and techniques to modulate emotion and trauma responses, and will
incorporate principles and skills adapted from bioenergetics, sensorimotor psychotherapy, and
mindfulness. The group was piloted in the spring.
Susan came to SACL and disclosed that she
had experienced childhood sexual abuse by
a parental figure. She was aware that she
wasn’t always coping well and was extremely
anxious about her own child’s safety in
the community. She was also experiencing
frequent panic attacks which were disrupting
her parenting. Susan was able to gain some
new insights around her coping patterns.
Susan focused on grounding and stabilization
techniques to contain and manage her post
traumatic stress symptoms. She reports much
fewer panic attacks and feels more confident
as a parent. Susan plans to join a SACL
support group this fall.
Gloria came to SACL seeking support
for the sexual violence she faced in her
country of origin. Gloria and her child were
facing deportation. Our SACL counselor
provided advocacy by providing supporting
documentation of why it was unsafe for
the mother and child to return to their
country of origin. The immigration lawyer
reported that the claim was accepted and
the report provided by the SACL counselor
was mentioned several times in the decision.
Recently, the woman and her daughter came
back to the Centre to thank the counselor.
SACL is Helping Women Change Their Lives!
1
3
h Relationships Plus Group
Creating a safe space where young women can engage in
meaningful dialogue about important topics that impact their
everyday lives – such as healthy relationships, stress management,
body image, self-esteem, personal boundaries, and assertiveness
is what Relationships Plus is all about. This past year, 78 young
women from London and Middlesex County between the ages of
14 and 17 participated in these groups.
group at
Julie participated in the Relationships Plus
boyfrien d for
her scho ol. She had been going out with her
about their
about 6 months. She wasn’t feeling 100% good
t she was
relationship. She wasn’t sure how to name wha
to the
rted
repo
feeling. During the exit interview, Julie
boyfrien d. Julie
facilitator that she had broken off with her
hip. In her exit
realized that she was in an abusive relations
that “This group
interview with the facilitator, she told her
my boyfrien d it’s
helped me by teaching me that even with
learned about
okay to say ‘no’ and him be okay with it. I
stan d up against it.”
different types of abuse and how to prevent/
SACL is helping Young Women
Change Their Lives!
Samantha is now 24 years old and was
recruite d as one of the peer mentors for
Girls Helping Girls. As a teenager she face
d
a number of personal challenges like pove
rty
and homelessness and was not able to stay
in scho ol. As a peer mentor she became
an important role model for other young
women who were facing similar issues. In
a presentation to high scho ol students at a
conference on healthy relationships, she was
able to talk about her experience of
marginalization and how she had
overcome her struggles. She reflected that
the Girls Helping Girls project allowed her
to better understand that the challenges
she
face d as a teenager were not her fault but
rather the way our culture views girls and
women.
h GIRLS HELPING GIRLS
This past year, the peer and adult mentors
involved in the Status of Women Canada
funded project, Girls Helping Girls, focused
on the development of strategies for engaging
with other young women, and in some cases,
other members of the community, to explore
issues and inequalities impacting upon the
lives of girls/young women. All groups used
creative strategies to engage young women
in discussions on such issues as racism,
discrimination, sexism, healthy relationships,
migration, belonging, fitting in, and identity.
More than 30 peer mentors were involved in
delivering the peer led activities and reached
more than 100 participants in their pilot phase.
SACL is Helping Young
Women Change Their Lives!
4
h Volunteer Program
“The volunteer trainings form the
foundation of our organization
and play a vital role in the delivery
of services.”
Two volunteer trainings were completed and the
volunteer pool grew from 34 volunteers at the
beginning of the year to 46 at the end.
Volunteer training was also opened up to one male
applicant who completed the training. Feedback
received from both the male volunteer and the women
in the training was positive with a suggestion to create
more volunteer opportunities for men.
The Sexual Assault Centre London is working in
collaboration with the London District Distress Centre,
Women`s Community House and the Women`s
Rural Resource Centre to explore collaborative
opportunities with the helplines.
Trisha came to SACL looking for support
and advocacy to deal with workplace
sexual harassment. A volunteer supporte d
the client. The volunteer attended
meetings with lawyers at the client’s
workplace, helped her write up her
response forms as English was not her
first language. The volunteer was both an
advocate and a witness to a client who
was overwhelmed and vulnerable. The
process was complicated and the SACL
volunteer was very effective in terms of
supporting the woman thro ugh each step
and looking for additional reso urces. The
client shared that she felt supporte d
and heard by the volunteer and did not
feel so alone.
SACL is Helping
Women and Men
Change Their Lives!
Our Crisis and Support Line
53 calls received – 88% were
5
women and 12% were men.
h 82% of the calls were specifically
related to sexual violence. Of the 82%,
25% had experienced more than one
of childhood abuse, adult sexual abuse
and/or sexual harassment.
h
Callers were REFERRED FROM the following:
Social Service Agency/Organization
35%
Health Sector (Family Doctor/Hospital) 25%
Friend/Family
14%
Self
1%
Education
9%
Police and Criminal Justice
6%
Callers were REFERRED TO the following:
Social Service Agency/Organization
48%
Health Sector (Family Doctor/Hospital) 31%
Police and Criminal Justice
14%
Emergency (911)
4%
Housing
3%
5
OUR PREVENTION SERVICES
Prevention is key to achieving our vision “Our World Without
Sexual Violence”. There is a need to shift society’s attitudes
about sexual violence, to challenge victim blaming and to
engage communities to take action.
h Public Education and Outreach Program
Our public education and outreach program reaches out to young
women and men to provide them with the tools to better understand and
recognize sexual violence, unpack the myths surrounding it, become an
active bystander, and make change in their communities.
The program focuses on rape culture- using language, media and exercises to express to youth the
impact in their lives. Another focus of the program is to inspire the students into becoming agents
of change regarding healthy understandings of their body, sexuality and relationships.
This year, through our 78 workshops and trainings, SACL reached 7308 individuals, 96% were
between 14 and 24 years of age. The workshops focused on healthy relationships, sexual
harassment training, rape culture, and culture jamming.
In addition to delivering presentations, workshops and training, the Public Education and Outreach
Program partnered with many different community groups and agencies to plan and deliver events
that educate the general public and engage our community to action. Events included: Take Back
the Night, Montreal Massacre Memorial, Eco Feminist Fashion Show and Vendor Fair, Sexual
Assault Awareness Month: Youth Taking Action, Pride Prom: An Evening for LGBT Youth, Feminist
Poetry Slams, Montcalm Girl’s Sleepover, International Day Against Homophobia, Ending Violence
through Celebrating Women’s Sexual Empowerment Week and much more.
and
scho ol, a young girl aske d our public education
During a sexual harassment workshop in high
did
she
when
riend
boyf
sure d to have sex with her
outreach coordinator if “someone was pres
ult
assa
ual
“sex
was
it
that
Our coordinator explained
not want to” if it was sexual harassment.
al
ensu
cons
not
is
that
then
partner into having sex
and that if someone coerces their sexual
c
Publi
The
re”.
befo
sex
had
ionship or if they have
and it does not matter if they are in a relat
one’s
some
“If
nt.
conse
t
abou
opportunity to talk more
Education and Outreach Coordinator took the
it is
be sexual then they should tell them that
to
them
s
partner pressures, guilts, threaten
young girl
The
”
feel.
them
s
enting … and how that make
sexual assault because they are not cons
ays?”
anyw
sex
have
her
s
boyfriend that and he make
then aske d “what if the person tells her
ssment.
hara
al
sexu
and
rape
een
to her the difference betw
The coordinator then proceeded to explain
“it
that
,
class
the
in
were
more than 30 students who
She explained to the young woman and the
their
with
thing
some
do
their partner to make them
is never ok for someone who cares about
body that they don’t want to do”.
feels
young woman, that making someone have sex
Young women today often know, just like this
women
g
Youn
ult.
assa
al
sexu
–
e
crim
a
no idea that it is
wrong but more often than not, they have
this loss of
within relationships, and feel the impact of
today are often experiencing sexual violence
rape and so
sexualities, but do not recognize that it is
power and control over their own bodies and
to think it’s ok
beco me the norm for both men and women
do not seek support for the trauma. It has
in relationships.
to pressure women to engage sexually with
6
SACL is helping Young Women
and Men Change Their Lives!
h I KNOW SOMEONE CAMPAIGN
The I Know Someone education and awareness
campaign was officially launched on November
9th 2010. Developed to increase awareness
and understanding of sexual violence on campus,
the program aims to shift the responsibility for
prevention from the individual to the collective body.
In contrast to traditional sexual violence programs
where the onus has been on women to keep
themselves safe, and in which women are seen as
victims and men as perpetrators, this campaign
engages both men and women as empowered and
critical allies.
Providing students with the ability to recognize and identify
inappropriate sexual behaviours, healthy consent, and, through
skill-building, identify ways and situations in which bystanders
can get involved, the goal is to empower all students to play a
role in ending sexual violence.
What Students Are Saying:
“Sexual violence happens so often on campus.
And these are people you know.”
, Verbal assault is the most com mon and
“Sexual violence is so prevalent on campus!
it’s part of mainstream language. Saying
it’s unfiltere d and not seen as wrong because
of my professors saying that’s so gay really
things like that exam rape d me, or even one
we have to find a way of helping people
trivializes sexual violence.Words matter and
understand that.”
rdless of gender. We really have to
“Anyone can be a victim or an offender rega
challenge it when we see it.”
to
and flip the focus from blaming the victim
“We need to re-w ire accepted behaviours
ge.”
erw ise nothing is going to chan
challeng ing the behavior when we see it. Oth
to get
“We really need an alternative way for guys
y. Men
involved rather than just the bunker mentalit
we
And
ns.
actio
r
need to take responsibility for thei
, how they
need to enco urage ever yone to get involved
tor. Guys
can help and that not ever yone is a perpetra
g to
goin
need to take a leadership role if we’re ever
make a difference.”
SACL is helping Young Women
and Men Change Their Lives!
t in the group
workshop participan ing Free
Collage created by
Fly
n
me
Wo
r
rrio
Wa
facilitated by Young
l young women)
(group for Aborigina
7
Thank you to OUR FUNDERS and donors
OUR PARTNERS
London Middlesex Housing Corporation
London and Middlesex Local Immigration
PartnerShip Health and Well being
Sub-Council
Middlesex County Coordinating Committee to End Woman Abuse
Middlesex London Health Unit
My Sister`s Place - WOTCH
Muslim Family Support Service Advisory Committee
Muslim Resource Centre for Social Support and
Integration
Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres
Ontario Woman Abuse Screening Protocol
Provincial Steering Committee
Political and War Trauma Advisory Committee
Regional HIV/Aids Connection London
Regional Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence
Treatment Centre of St. Joseph`s Health Centre
St. Leonard`s Society
Thames Valley District School Board
Women`s Community House
Youth Action Centre
Across Languages
At^lohsa Native Family Healing Centre
Centre for Research and Education to End
Violence Against Women and Children
Changing Ways
Child Abuse Prevention Council
Children and Youth Network
Children`s Aid Society
City of London
Cross Cultural Learner Centre
Daya Counselling Centre
Family Services Thames Valley
Homophobia, Biophobia, Transphobia Working Group
John Howard Society
London Abused Women’s Centre
London Coordinating Committee to End
Woman Abuse
London District Catholic School Board
London District Distress Centre
London Homeless Coalition
London Library
London Police Services
8
RE-IMAGINING OUR WORK:
CREATING A GREATER IMPACT WITH OUR SERVICE DELIVERY MODEL
P
alt
hy
Pa
A He
re
ve
ivit
n
tio
ies
h How has the world changed since SACL
first started 35 years ago?
h Given our new reality, on what should the
Long Term Outcomes of SACL focus?
h What is SACL’s unique contribution/niche?
A World without S
dl
exu
r
al
Wo rship and Colla
rob
ne
t
a
r
ntion Act
Lived Experience
of Sexual Assault
Survivors
As a result of this “re-imagining” process, a new
Conceptual Model was approved in March 2011.
“Pathways to Healing, Resiliency and Mobilization” builds
on SACL’s unique contributions and strengths, and on the
idea that Every Door is the Right Door. In the months to come,
our work will focus on transitioning from concept to reality.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
9
ce
len
Vio
The Board of Directors in its current Strategic Plan agreed that
the service delivery model of SACL needed to be reviewed
and revised. A series of Wisdom Circles were facilitated
which asked the following questions:
OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OUR VOLUNTEERS
Lynn Booker-Collins
Rola Chadi, Co-Treasurer
Mary Ellen Costea
Kim Edwards
Kathryn Eggert, Past Chair
Rebecca Ellis, Vice-Chair
Stephanie Field
Linda Leja, Co-Treasurer
Laura Lewis, Chair
Marissa McGregor (United Way Young Leader)
Tobi Siew, Secretary
Munira Ahmed
Sheila Alberto
Catherine Almeida
Caitlin Barendregt-Brown
Janice Campbell
Hannah Carter
Kimberly Cull
Tracy D’Angelo
Danielle DeBlock
Janine Douglas
Alicia M. Dow
Denise Dunn
Jessica Dunsworth
Kolton Fiset
Kimberly Gautreau
Courtney Gillis
Jennifer Henderson
Narissa Khan
Youlya Khankan
Yvonne Lammers
Candice Lawrence
Dan McCutcheon
Julie McDonald
Jennifer MacWhiter-DiRaimo
Pamela Michienzi
Melanie O’Brien
Camila Pastranca
Linda Perry
Roya Rayhani
Amparo Ribero
Hannah Rosen
Anne-Marie Sanchez
Mary Ann Shanahan
Sarah Shulist
Kim Solga
Marilyn Smyth
Cynthia Taylor
Ashley Watson
Karen Weima
Emily Whiston
Erin Jane Wiley
Lynn Williams
OUR STAFF
Susan Abercromby
Janice Campbell
Avril Flanigan
Heather Fredin
Katy Harold
Yasmin Hussain
Barbara Jones Warwick
Carmen Marti
Jane McGregor
Tina O’Connor
Louise Pitre
Alicia Samuel
Sarah Scanlon
OUR STUDENTS
Andrea Allen
Ashley Fader
Felicia Epp Star
Elise Maiolino
Andrea Holt
OUR CALL TO ACTION
Vision Statement
Our World Without Sexual Violence
Mission Statement
We create safe spaces for survivors of sexual violence
to break their silence.
We listen.
We bear witness.
We facilitate healing.
We celebrate resiliency and courage.
We educate,
We advocate,
We agitate
To create social change.
Values Statement
Grounded in our feminist roots, we value
Justice
Equality
Fairness
Inquiry
Innovation
Interconnection
Inclusion
Honesty
Respect
Compassion
www.sacl.ca